In a painstaking process this alternate history storyline has been researched and is presented for your entertainment.
By using historical documents from the US Joint Chiefs of Staff we know exactly what the contingency plans were in the case of an expected Soviet attack in 1946.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Gentleman you have all been summoned to give your reports on the situation in our struggle with the Capitalist forces around the world. We need your honest and frank reports on the status of the units under your command. First comrade Stalin would like to hear from the Western Front. Marshal Zhukov you have the floor.

Thank you comrade.

Our ground forces consist of 183 combat divisions with 63 now engaged on the Pyrenees Line. 26 divisions face the Scandinavian forces in Finland. 11 Divisions are on occupation duty in Germany, France, the low countries, and Denmark. 16 divisions waiting in France near the in Italian border to make sure our new Italian friends keep their word and 11 are assisting our allies in the liberation of Greece. 47 are in reserve status waiting to exploit the breakthrough into Spain. Another 26 are on strategic reserve ready to counter any sudden amphibious or airborne attacks and performing police duties in various cities in the Balkans.

Our allies Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Hungry have supplied 12 division for the liberation of Greece, 20 are in reserve on the Italian border and 45 in strategic reserve awaiting any moves by the NATO forces and again on police duties against possible anti-government events.

Marshal Novikov please give us a report of the status of the air war in the West.

Our air assets on the Western Zone consists of 4136 aircraft on the Pyrenees Front. 4574 are being positioned to suppress the British with 1520 in transit from the Transcaucus Front soon to join them and that will bring the total up to … um… 6124 frontline combat aircraft. We are relying on 786 aircraft from our allies to sweep the skies over Greece. So far it is enough.

The Soviet air forces in the West have been able to meet the requirements of the Red Army. We have negated the vaunted US Army Air Force and with the addition of the Special Ground to Air Forces we have been able to intimidate the strategic air forces and can report that there have been no significant attacks on Soviet Cities. As you may recall the US tried to drop their atomic bomb on Leningrad. One of the most heinous weapons ever devised was slated to kill hundreds of thousands of innocent victims. The combination of our brave fighter forces and ground to sky missiles thwarted their plans.

As a bonus we have recovered one of their atomic bombs which failed to detonate. It is being studied by our scientists non-stop. In addition a second major attack was intercepted and heavy losses were dealt to the bomber force sent to carpet bomb Toulouse. As a consequence the enemy has greatly curtailed it’s strategic bombing attacks. In the meantime we are adding 30 more ground to sky missiles per week to our defensive forces.

Our air forces are also receiving 110 new jet planes per month between the Mig 9 and Yak 15 models. Production of most propeller driven fighter aircraft has been suspended to make this possible. We estimate that current stocks of medium bombers will be enough for the duration of the war. We are increasing the production of the Pe9 which is being used for a platform to launch the X4 plane to plane missile that has proven to be very instrumental in breaking up bomber formations allowing our fighters to attack more effectively.

In addition the Czechs can now field 20 ME 262 jets. They have begun building their own version of the ME 262. We have also transferred all spare parts and air frames liberated from Germany for their use. We estimate that the Czechs will have another 30 to 40 flyable planes by Spring.

Our ground to sky missile system is undergoing major upgrades with a new generation of direction system being installed. This system will greatly reduce the need for ground controller once the missiles are within 3 km of the target planes. They are totally self guided after that and have shown remarkable abilities to intercept their targets. Production of the missiles remains low. We currently can produce 75 a month. By reducing the number of armored vehicles and concentrating on missile production we estimate that we can reach a potential rate of 600 a month by years end. As you know I have proposed this very…

Enough Novikov… I have you proposal…

Yes of course comrade Stalin… to continue we have 2140 aircraft in the far east and 510 fighters guarding the oil fields in the Caucuses. Most of our training units are located there as well…

Comrade Beria…

Err..Yes comrade Stalin?

It has come to my attention that we have lost sight of thousands of American B29 bombers and possibly up to 30 divisions. What do your sources have to say as to the location and intentions?

Thank you for mentioning this subject comrade. I was just about to inform the Politburo of this situation. We have information that the Americans are having trouble with their recruiting efforts comrade. We believe that is why both their strategic bombing forces and their armies are not on the battlefield as they have to train new recruits instead of using already trained veterans. As you also know they have had a series of strikes starting in January which was supported by our comrades in the American Communist party and the labor unions. We further have word that fully 90% of their industry had shifted back to frivolous consumer products and the capitalist owners were loath to make the switch back to wartime production for fear of losing their extravagant profits. All of these combined with the disastrous losses they received during the attempted attacks on Leningrad and Toulouse leads us to believe that we will not be seeing any further bombing attacks until Spring. It is estimated that heir army will not be ready for offensive operations until Fall of 1947. All indications are that they will not attempt to launch any large scale counter attack during the Fall so we are confident that the earliest we will see any land forces attempting to regain Western Europe will be the Spring of 1948.

But you do not know this for sure. You have no documents or reports of overheard conversations or eye witness accounts to confirm this…have you Beria?!

No comrade.

What do your Cambridge sources tell you from the British side about the American preparations?

There seems to be a deliberate withholding of information between the Americans and British. We know virtually everything about the British intentions and strategic plans but nothing about the America’s from that source comrade. It would appear that there is a widening of the crack between the Americans and British that we can exploit.

Yes…what is it Novikov? Stop bouncing around in your chair.

Comrade if I may? The upcoming operations against the British should give us a great indication as to where the American’s stand. We out number the British Lion almost 4 to 1 in aircraft and they will surely fall without any assistance from the Americans. If the Americans intervene in our second Battle of Britain then we can assume that the alliance is strong. If none or little American assistance is present once the attacks start in earnest then we can derive that the alliance is on it’s last legs and invasion might be an option.

Interesting idea Novikov. Until we discover exactly what is happening with the Americans I want the 80 divisions in Manchuria to be ready to counter any move. They are to refrain from any offensive action and are to wait and react to events. Increase the rail capacity leading up to the border with Turkey. Have enough rail cars to enable a force of 30 divisions to instantly move West. In the mean time keep those forces on alert for any contingency.

Excellent proposal comrade. At this point there is nothing worth much in the area. Why would we want to invade a bunch of starving Chinese or a destroyed Korea. No there is no point in further conquest in the Far East until the matter is settled in the West.

Friday, April 22, 2011

There continues to be serious social unrest and labor strikes throughout the nation. The government is stable but fiscally bankrupt. So far American aid in the form of lend lease is the only thing keeping a lid on the unrest.

British India is on the edge of open rebellion. The Indian public is still on edge after the Indian Army and Navy mutinies in January/ February, the Indian National Army trials, and the ethnic riots of August.

Low scale 3 way fighting between British troops, Jewish and Arabs militias continue in the British controlled Palestine.

The British are also starting to see unrest on the parts of native populations in their African and Asian colonies.

In the British colony of South Africa the local communists and native parties launched a nationwide general strike that has become an open rebellion in some areas. Our diplomats in South Africa are reporting that the native unrest has now spread to both parts of British Rhodesia, and Kenya.

There are reports that well armed native groups have murdered large numbers of British and Dutch settlers throughout South Africa. This has led to the fall of the ruling South African United Party Government. An intern government has now formed under a Dutch South African named D.F. Malan to put down the upraising.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Our purpose here today is to decide on our recommendations to the President on our strategic options for defeating the Soviet army and causing the unconditional surrender of the USSR and it‘s satellite states.

Colonel Armistead go over the situation as it stands currently.

Thank you General Eisenhower. Gentleman first the bad news. The Soviets have total control of Germany, Denmark, the low counties, 99” of France, a foothold in Spain and they are moving on Greece with little opposition as we speak. In addition Italy has withdrawn from NATO and is allowing Soviet forces to enter it’s territory. The Italian Navy is scheduled to fall into Soviet hands soon. Finland is reeling from a Soviet attack with Norway and Sweden trying to assist their neighbor.

They are currently fielding 244 Soviet divisions and 83 of their so called allied divisions with over 14000 frontline aircraft.

In the Far East the Soviets have 80 fully supplied divisions on combat ready. At anytime they can march into pretty much anywhere they want on the Asian mainland. So far they are dormant. We don’t know why but are grateful that they are.

On the Pyrenees Line they are making slow and steady progress. We estimate at their current rate of advance they will be out of the mountains in less than 90 days and into Spain proper.

Their armor is superior to ours at the moment. This is not much of a factor in the mountains but if they once again break out into tank country it will not be pretty.

On the Pyrenees Line our forces are as follows. We have 11 full strength and fully equipped divisions . Our forces are able to defend themselves and even have the ability to counter attack. Our allies are fielding 15 full divisions between them. Mainly newly minted Spanish divisions with a French division, a Low Countries division, 4 British divisions and a joint British Empire division made up of New Zealanders, Aussies and Canadians.

The US forces have been blocking the traditional invasion routes and large mountain passes. Our allies are filling in between these positions. The Soviet advances have been at the expense of the new Spanish divisions for the most part. In order to avoid being flanked we have had to slowly perform retrograde movements.

As you know additional US divisions are being formed and should be ready for action by the spring.

Our Far East forces consist of one division in Korea and 3 in Japan. The Brits have 2 scattered in Indonesia and India. In addition we have a division in Egypt to support the 4 British divisions already in the area.

Unlike the war with Germany and Japan we do not enjoy total air superiority. Both sides enjoy local successes but so far we are not able to penetrate on regular basis their air defense system without unacceptable casualties. Similarly they have not been able to have much success in reaching our supply lines or major troop concentrations. Basically the air war is a draw.

This presents us with grave problems. As you know we enjoyed almost total air superiority over Germany and Japan before we commenced any kind of offensive action. It allowed us to handle the enemies sometimes superior ground forces. Rarely did a German Tiger even get to the frontline much less do much damage when we had Jugs and Lightnings roaming at will over the battleground.

If we do not gain air superiority in the short run we will have to find a new way to defeat the Red Army.

Again unlike the Germans or the Japanese the Soviets seem to have learned from history. We have it on good authority that they will not run out of trained pilots like our former Axis enemies did. They have a robust training program and apparently no lack of fuel to train them. In addition they have made great strides in upgrading their planes performance at altitude.

Bottom line is that we cannot count on defeating their air forces in the foreseeable future and we cannot attack their infrastructure with impunity without suffering unacceptable casualties.

Major Tillman will you bring us up to speed as to what forces we expect to have available in the Spring?

Of course General. We are on target to have 60 fully mechanized American Marine and Army Divisions capable of amphibious assault ready to be deployed by early Spring. Our navy friends assure us that they will be able to land 25 divisions a month anywhere in the world by May, 1947 along with accompanying air cover, shore bombardment and temporary port facilities capable of supplying said 25 divisions for up to a month..

By the end of Spring we should be up to our WWII strength of 90 divisions.

Thank you Major.

It should be obvious that we have left out of this briefing our strategic air assets. We are on a need to know basis on this subject. It has been determined that this gathering does not have a need to know. I know that sticks in your craw but tough shit! That's the way it is and the way it will be for the foreseeable future. Believe me I'm as insulted as much as you are but the top brass has their reasons and that's good enough for my pay grade.

We do however have the use of 1550 B17s, 1091 B24s, 2024 medium bombers, 2020 fighters, and fighter bombers and 980 transport aircraft with more to come. These air units are to be used for tactical operations.

So for the time being it will be our late war prop jobs against theirs…I hope. We expect what ever SAC is up to will draw most of their jets like flies.

All of the heavy bombers and most of the jet fighters and long range fighters have been transferred to SAC or the Strategic Air Command. I am confident that they will be operational soon and we will see just what they can do. I suspect we will be seeing some mushroom clouds in the distance soon.

With these assets we have to decide between various plans proposed for winning World War Three. Do we attack on a broad front fighting our way through Western Europe starting from the Spanish border? Or do we stage another D-day and start our attack from the French coast? Do we go for broke with a blitzkrieg type narrow front encircling type attack? Do we stage a series of coordinating amphibious landings? Do we go straight for Moscow or the oil fields? Do we attempt the counter attack with 90 divisions in the Spring/Summer or do we wait another year to match the Soviets 250 divisions and advance on a broad front?

In other words we have to advise the JCS on what we believe will bring Old Joe to his knees.